Give Me A Reason To Love Again
by sweetswanqueen2013
Summary: Emma and Snow have been back for a few weeks thanks to Regina. When a town member is killed all evidence points to Regina. Emma is the only one who believes she's innocent with Snow and Charming adamant she did it. But will the presence of old enemies force a truce between the long-time nemeses or will their own pigheadedness seal their fates.


**WARNING: Character death – not Swan Queen though, so don't worry. **

**My own take on episode 2.10 which is yet to air so maybe spoilerish but I doubt it as the episode has not aired yet. This is just a little idea I had whilst I'm doing my other stories.**

**Summary: Emma and Snow have been back in Storybrooke for a few weeks thanks to Regina. Regina has been trying her best to change but when a town member is killed all evidence points to her. Emma is the only one who believes she's innocent but with Snow and James adamant she did it, things don't look good, especially as Emma and Regina grow closer. But will the presence of old enemies force a truce between the long-time nemeses or will their own pigheadedness seal their fates. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything even though I wish.**

**Give Me A Reason To Love Again**

**Chapter 1 – It's a Deal**

She was trying her best to redeem herself. To become the person she once was long before magic and her need for revenge had consumed her. She'd saved her arch nemesis and the Savior yet it still wasn't enough. In everyone else's eyes she was still the Evil Queen that had destroyed lives, taken hearts and damned them all to this world.

_"You will not take my son away from me."_

_Blast_

_"I raised him, he is my son Miss Swan, not yours."_

She lay down on the cell bed staring at the ceiling, replaying the events of that morning over and over in her head. Yes she'd reacted harshly but with good reason she tried to convince herself. The Charming's had come over and excused her of murdering Archie, the guy who was actually helping her. After all she'd done to try and change, to show she'd changed. Well her anger got the better of her, especially when her son was mentioned.

"Your still here." She called out but her eyes never left the ceiling.

"You sound surprised." Emma replied as she walked over and took a seat in front of the cell.

"I am, I'm surprised your mother is not here to hold your hand, whilst your charming father and the town decide my fate." She said sitting bolt rite up on the bed.

"So just like that you're back to being a complete bitch."

"Don't hold back now will you dear. You certainly didn't this morning." Regina said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"After this morning's stunt you should be grateful I'm even talking to you but you know what I've got a lot to say so for once you're going to shut up and listen." She paused briefly, waiting for the other woman to protest but surprisingly she didn't "After last couple of weeks I thought finally…finally you were making some progress but it's like you're so determined to alienate yourself by pushing everyone away. Speak to me Regina I'm on your side."

Silence, Regina just stared at her, before placing both hands on the cell bars.

"Oh I get it now Archie is gone so you think we can be bff's now. That I'll tell you all my deepest darkest secrets and we can braid each other's hair. Did they send you in here to try and get me to crack? If they did you're in for a long wait. I didn't kill him."

"No one sent me in here, that's not what's happening and I never said you did kill Archie."

"Oh do enlighten me then Miss Swan what is happening? Will it be pitch forks at dawn or a nice public beheading?"

"That may happen in your world Regina but this world is different. At the moment we are investigating. Despite what you think, you're in here for your own safety right now."

"Oh please, I know everyone thinks that I killed him. After all I am the Evil Queen right? It couldn't possibly be anyone else." She rolled her eyes as she began pacing back and forth in the cell.

Emma was getting more frustrated by the second. She walked right up to the bars, her face was only centimeters away from Regina's. The only thing separating them apart were the jail cell bars.

"Like I said I never said you killed Archie, the others may think that but I don't." She said as her eyes looked straight into Regina's.

"You don't?"

"No, I think you're innocent and so does Henry."

"He does" Her face lit up at the mention of the young boys name. "You do, Why?"

"Because… I see you, I see you when you think no one else is looking. I've been trapped in that world, i've heard the stories about your mother, Daniel and even the ones about the Evil Queen and what she's done, but that's not you anymore. Whether you care to admit it to anyone other than yourself, you have changed. You saved me and Mar… Snow from that portal. You said you wanted to redeem yourself well you already have." Emma smiled at her.

Regina was first to break eye contact as she felt her eyes fill up with mixed emotions all blended into one. No one had ever believed in her like that before, no one. Yet here was a woman who'd lost everything because of her and she believed in her.

"You have more faith in me than I deserve." She mumbled out.

"I heard somewhere once that evil isn't born it's made and I believe it. Your past blinded you, now you have a chance to be the person you were meant to be. The others will see it with time, there only reacting now because they have no one else to blame. We will find the real culprit. In the meantime don't go blasting anyone else with your magic… even better just don't use your magic at all."

"Apart from getting you home and this morning I haven't been using it, I also made a promise to Henry."

"I know I do remember our conversation last week."

Snow walked into the station, she didn't even acknowledge Regina.

"Emma can I have a word outside a minute please."

"Yeah just give me a minute and I'll be right out okay?"

Snow just nodded before leaving the same way she came in.

"You're mother thinks I did it."

"She won't for long."

"How can you be sure?"

"Have a little faith."

"Oh very reassuring Miss Swan."

"I think were past that now don't you? Just call me Emma, after all i've saved your butt more than enough times now, let's just add this to the list." She grinned before walking away.

"Emma."

She turned around instantly.

"Why are you doing all of this?"

"Because believe it or not we have more in common than you realize and I made a promise to Henry."

"But why do you care so much?"

"You're the mother of my child of course I care. I'll always care."

"When this is all over, you'll have to let me know what things we have in common besides Henry." She smiled genuinely for the very first time.

"It's a deal." And with that Emma headed out the door to talk to a very irritated Snow White.

In the distance they were being watched.

"You know what you have to do don't you?"

"Yes, I'll distract the girl your majesty, once Snow White is out of the way."


End file.
